Channing Frye Q&A: Life without LeBron James, and what awaits the Lakers

When it comes to LeBron James’ old team and his new team, few have a better perspective on what is to come for both than Channing Frye.

A member of the Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 championship team and cemented forever in the city’s sports legacy, Frye also enjoyed highpoints with the Cavs last season, such as winning 18 out of 19 games early in the season, before being traded in February to the Lakers, LeBron’s new home.

After LeBron’s big move, Frye returned to the scene of the most glorious moments of his career by signing a one-year deal with the Cavaliers.

Being that Frye is away from both places at his summer home in Portland, I wanted to catch up with him before the upcoming season.

As Frye kicked back on a recent afternoon, he discussed his whirlwind season and what he looks forward to most working with Kevin Love and coach Ty Lue again. He also shared his perspective on the young Lakers, a group he called among “the most talented in the league” and what they’ll need to expect in their new life with LeBron.

LeBronWire: You had something of a boomerang year from Cleveland, to Los Angeles and then back to Cleveland. You played well with Cleveland (team-high +7.8 on-court net-rating prior to trade) then you got traded and now you’re back. Can you recap what that was like for you?

Channing Frye: Well I think first of all, this is a business. The hardest thing in this league is to not take things personally. I’ve been traded to places where I get a call and they say ‘you’re gonna do great at this next place’ and then that’s the end of it. But having the relationships I do with the guys on that team, regardless of LeBron, and the relationship I had with the city and the fanbase like that for me, I looked at free agency and said, I’m 35. I’m at the end of my career. Am I going somewhere where somebody is going to have to learn who I am, what I can do and what I can’t?

And I think the fact that I was doing well in Cleveland just showed T-Lue that I’m ready whenever. If I were to go with another team, I would have to re-prove myself with fewer minutes. ‘Well, is this a position for Channing to be in?’ And T-Lue told me to go in yeah, I’ll get something done. We were down 22 in the second half at the end of that Knicks game we end up coming back winning that game and a lot of that has to do with just being a pro.

The chance of going to LA was awesome. But again it’s a business. I was like ‘OK, maybe I’ll just stay here in LA and see what happens’ but then they went in a different direction. They went a different direction which was no big deal and looking at it in the long run, it’s probably a better situation for me basketball-wise to go back to Cleveland, where my voice is a little bit louder there.

With LA, you’re trying to build a brand new team that’s supposed to win and compete for stuff. But you have five rookies and six guys that are brand new and all coming from different teams and different styles. For me, it was the right decision. It was weird at first but I told myself it’s a business. It’s not only a business about money or opportunity but also happiness and where you’re going to have the best impact.

LW: You mentioned you had success when you guys won 18 out of 19. That was a really great run. You guys were shooting the lights out. Regardless of LeBron, I think you’ll probably jack up a lot more 3s this year even without him.

CF: I think yes and no. I think with LeBron you put a lot of onus on him to create for other people and now because our team is half young, half old. And I think a lot of us, especially in that second unit, like the blueprint that we have. We want to build on that and I’ve already talked to the coaching staff.

You know, you look at a team like Houston and a lot of the advanced analytics, they’re trying to get up 50 3s a game. So if you’re trying to get 50 3s, how many layups are trying to get? 60? So you’re trying to get up 110 shots a game, that means you’re playing at a pretty high pace. But there’s a team like Utah that shoots a lot of 3s but they play a lot less possessions. I think we’ll probably be in the middle there. If you look at the players that we have and the playmakers we have, I don’t think shooting is going to be a problem. I think it’s just a matter of us getting used to the new guys and the new style of what T-Lue wants and something that we can practice, rely on and we’re confident and comfortable.

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

LW: With LeBron not being there, have you envisioned how different the vibe is going to be?

Channing: Yes and no. The first time him leaving was one thing. But the second time the team was way more prepared. I think the fact they still gave Kevin that big contract, they’re trying to sign some young up and coming guys. We have a nice solid core of guys that have been in the trenches but are still growing themselves. It’s going to be awesome to see. I think the Cleveland fans are going to be surprised because everyone doesn’t take us seriously. But I think they forgot, yeah, LeBron is amazing. But we have the same team from four years ago. We have the same team that went to the Finals four years in a row we just got a lot younger. It’s not like these guys don’t know how to win.

When he left the first time it was a bunch of young guys and rookies and a different coach. Now you got a championship coach with a championship pedigree team, we’re not just resetting the clock. We’re just taking it back a little bit to compete and contend for the next 5-10 years.

LW: When you say your voice is going to be heard more, are you expecting more of the leadership to fall on you?

CF: Yes and no. I speak up when I know what the hell I’m talking about but for the most part I think the guys on that team know I don’t care about stats or being famous,you’re not going to hear me complain about anything but there’s always an open dialogue of communication of what is best for the team. If you look at our team and our roster, I think you look at what you can do to make sure I’m being consistent. Because I think consistency breeds champion. But I think it’s an amazing opportunity for me to go back to the team that I wanted to but to be with guys that I was in the trenches with at the furthest point in our careers. It’s mainly about doing the right thing and doing it consistently.

LW: Personally, how excited are you to play with Kevin Love again?

CF: My thing is not just Kevin, I think it’s going to be exciting for me. Because when you play with LeBron, he does so much. Whether he likes it or not, it’s just him. Everyone else fits into a role. You’re a scorer, you’re a passer, you’re a defender you’re shooter, you’re a rebounder.

That’s going to be the hardest part for the Lakers. Who is going to sit in the corner? Who is going to be a defender? What is your defining role? With us it was easy.

But now that he’s gone, all of us are going to be required to do everything. We all have to be solid passers, solid shooters, you have to watch more film, We have to be comfortable with T-Lue’s new system. I think all of that is exciting and push Kevin, Tristan and JR, guys that have shown they can do great things and they’re getting the opportunity. But they’re also the same as me and they’re like ‘what does the team need from me to win?’

Some nights you’re only going to get 4 shots, some nights you get 10-11, but the defense will dictate who is going to get the ball and we just have to get it to them.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

LW: In your time with the Lakers, what was your impression of the Lakers young guys?

CF: I’ll tell you this: they’re arguably the most talented group in the NBA. And I mean talented in terms of experience, years playing in the Western Conference and they’re overall position.

I think the thing they’re going to come to and I think a lot of guys are going to have to deal with this. There’s who you expect to be and then who you are when you play with LeBron. It’s two different things. I don’t know if they truly understand what it’s like to play with him because there is no room for mistakes. Because in all actuality, he could do it himself. He could lead a team to 40 wins by himself. I think for all of them they’re going to have to have a reality check, not only them but the people around them. There’s going to say, not a growing period, but a humility.

The Lakers last year they really established how they were going to play. We’re going to play fast, we’re going to play together, we’re going to play defense. But now you’ve got LeBron, you’ve got Rondo, you’ve got all these guys. People are like yo, we’re trying to beat the shit out of you guys now. Everybody. It’s not like let’s go party in LA now. It’s, ‘lets stay in and get some sleep.’ Because think about it, every team that beats the Lakers now is going to be on ESPN regardless of how good they are. If you have a good game against the Lakers you’re going to be on ESPN for the next two days, the hottest news, every game.

So get ready for that. Get ready for all that attention that comes with LeBron and all the responsibility. Get ready to try and deal with getting popular, getting invited to everything. If you have one million followers get ready to have two. If you have two get ready to have four. Get ready to get invited to literally everything in LA because you’re now the hottest ticket in LA. Find that medium.

EG: So, as a fellow Portlander, I have to ask you for your top spots to eat in Portland?